Under the Spruce
by SparklyLarry
Summary: New Year's three-shot. It's 6 years since his daughter has returned. It's 5 years since her guildmates have disappeared. It's 5 years since she has ceased to attend their traditional New Year's ball. This year it will be different. "One moment my Lucy is here, the next one she is not. I do not want my daughter to shut herself away from the world..." "Should we search for her?"...
1. Three Hours to Midnight

**Hiding In the Spruce**

 _by SparklyLarry_

Chapter One

 **Three Hours to Midnight**

 _A/N: Christmas is coming! Its time for something romantic and fantastic! All the snow has given me enough inspiration to write this two or three-shot. Just to make it clear:_

 _\- there is no Christmas in Fiore, but New Year. It doesn't matter though, as the atmosphere is pretty much the same ))_

 _\- Lucy returned to her father after the Phantom Lord's attack, but there was no marriage._

 _\- it's been five years since the Tenrou Island incident. So, Lucy is 21. Sting and Rogue are 21 as well. Why? Because I want it this way =)_

 _\- there will be two or three chapters. I will post the last one on the 31st of December._

A sweet fragrance of baking apples and cinnamon hangs over the richly decorated hall with marble floors and big windows. Scarlet bows and ribbons twine round the satin curtains, teasing icicles at the other side of the windows. People in fancy dresses are scattered all over the place, their heels giving a cockish sound of high society against the floor. Candles shyly shimmer as they pass near by, too afraid to ignite some lady's splendid skirt. Viands like sturgeons and shrimps, boars stuffed with peaches, turkeys with creamy dressing lure guests to the tables. A tall graceful spruce stands in the centre, magical snow lies around its roots that run deep under the mansion. You have no idea how much jewels Mr. Heartfillia pays every year to get this miraculous tree in his house. Not only is it alive and huge, but it also shines with milliards of silver stars and golden sparkles that cling to its soft emerald-green needles. There are not many toys there. Only ginger cookies with red bows his daughter insists on every New Year. So, eleven confectioners work hard for a week to cook the delicious pastries his little heiress like so much. Nine hundred cookies are barely enough to adjourn all the branches. Another miracle is snow under the spruce. It is soft and lukewarm like cotton. As stars and sparkles fall down from the needles, they turn into magical snowflakes and accumulate around the tree, forming a spacious white field with high snowdrifts.

As to the spruce's peak, it runs to the very ceiling of the three-storey mansion. A bright icy star crowns the top. The central hall doesn't have the second and the third floors. Instead, there are balconies at the walls from which guests can also enjoy the mesmerizing view of the tree. Festive music reaches Mr. Heartfillia's ears from the next hall. All the tables, the orchestra, dancing places and other entertainments are in different places. The central hall is like a reception-room to gather and introduce the guests. The owner of the mansion stands at the front stairs to welcome the new arrivals as they continuously flow in like an iridescent river.

Jude Heartfillia was very captious. Only the finest and the most famous people of Fiore got their invitations to the annual New Year's ball at the Heartfillia's. After the death of his dear Laila, he didn't have balls very often. Without the hospitable hostess there was no joy in them anymore. Some spirit of celebration disappeared the day Laila's coffin was buried. His grief extinguished all the mirth in his soul. To dull the permanent pain in the heart, Jude Heartfillia devoted himself to work and business, distancing himself from the last reminder of his deceased wife, little Lucy. Too late he realized how wrong this decision was. There was a hope that Lucy would stop mourning her mother if he didn't show her his own weakness. As a result, his adorable daughter got the idea that he had never cared about her or Laila. The wrong image of a strict cold-hearted father was formed in Lucy's mind, forcing her to run away from home and join some magic guild.

Mr. Heartfillia still regrets the harsh way he treated his daughter those days when he finally managed to persuade her to return. There was a lot of blackmail and threats and yells... But Lucy agreed to stay. Maybe it was out of pity... for he couldn't hold it back when she turned away, ready to leave him forever once again. Jude Heartfillia was broken. He fell to his knees and whispered her name, his worries and regrets... There were many things the rich man mumbled that day in his office in front of his proud daughter, he couldn't remember all of them. But Lucy... God, she has taken into Laila more than he has ever imagined. Such a forgiving and sympathizing girl he had... A small hand suddenly touched his trembling shoulder as he raised eyes to meet her determined, but soft look. It was then when she told him mildly "That's okay, Dad".

So, their journey to the peace began. The road was bumpy and rocky. It took Lucy one year to finally warm up to him. Well, Jude Heartfillia understood his parental mistakes also only a year later. At first, the young Celestial Mage would throw a fit every time he tried to persuade her to wear 'decent clothes' or when he reprimanded servants too much. To tell the truth, the rich man never had an upper hand in their arguments. He was literally weaponless. There was nothing he could threat her with. Lucy didn't depend on his money or her status. She didn't need them and never had. It was him, who depended on her all along. The prospect of an arranged marriage was discarded almost immediately.

Then they had a row about her friends from Fairy Tail visiting her. Mr. Heartfillia was adamant and would not allow his daughter to visit Magnolia, so her guildmates found an alternative way to spend time with her. All in all, father and daughter reached a compromise. Her friends would visit Lucy once or twice a month AND use the front door, not the window. So, it became a routine. A pink-haired mage would set on fire one of Mr. Heartfillia's favourite carpets, resulting in both father and daughter yelling at the boy... And the like. However, the rich man continued to avoid the subject of Lucy visiting Magnolia. Neither had she erased her mark on the hand, in fact his daughter had never quitted the guild. It was her silent way of defining and punishing him for hiring Phantom Lord. A nasty suspicion crawls inside Jude Heartfillia as he suspects that his daughter has never fully forgiven him for this action. But she has given him more than he could ever hope for. A chance. Another chance to live as a family they used to be. Laila would have liked it.

That's why the rich man started to have balls every New Year, that was their tradition before... he lost his wife. The first celebration was a success. A bitter smile found its way to the man's mouth... he could vividly recall giggling Lucy in a pink dress in which Laila had met every new year. Her friends were invited as well, of course. For a moment, Jude Heartfillia closes his eyes and sees the fateful New Year's Eve five years ago. It was then when she ran up to him as two boys were chasing after her. Laughing and picking up her fluffy skirt, Lucy hid behind his straight posture like she had done so many times in childhood. Two mages stopped abruptly, their faces lost a few hues of skin color. Was he that intimidating? The boys gulped nervously under Mr. Heartfillia's hard gaze as his hard gaze was appraising the two. Just then a boisterous laugh escaped Celestial Wizard as she pointed at her guildmates. "Chickens!" she teased them, mischief sparkling in the chocolate eyes. Before Lucy rushed away, she quickly pecked her farther's cheek and cried "Thanks, Daddy."

Those two words meant a world to him. They were a key to the bright future he coveted. The last wall separating him and his daughter was broken, he could almost feel Laila happily smiling at their restored relationship. As they were saying their farewells to the guests, Jude Heartfillia mentioned with a small, uncertain curl on the lips that Fairy Tail members were always welcomed at their home. There were tears of joy, kind words were exchanged, and you can't imagine a scene happier after the New Year's Eve.

The happiness was short-lived. Not long after that, Lucy got ready to visit Magnolia. Her excitement was extinguished the moment she entered the guild. Returning home the following day, his daughter refused to explain anything, she shut the door of her room and never came out. It was later that Jude Heartfillia learnt the Celestial Wizard had left home once again without telling anyone to seek her disappeared friends. The rich man carried out a research of his own. He hired the best detectives in Fiore to look for them, invested into searching groups... Still, his efforts were fruitless.

Lucy returned a few months later,sorrow imprinted into her beautiful features like an ugly scar. The core members of Fairy Tail disappeared without a trace. No matter how hard they tried, the result was always the same. The crushing uncertainty. If Lucy had known for sure that they were... gone, maybe she wouldn't have been so restless. But there was that deceptive, but alluring all the same, glimmer of hope. Her deeply loved guild was plummeting like a stone to the bottom. Without its strongest mages, Fairy Tail wasn't much of a challenge. It could hardly make the ends meet. Surely, Heartfillias were eager to help out. But every offer was refused, in a polite but determined way. The most loyal members of his daughter's guild have been suffering greatly for the last five years. They were deprived of many things, however those several weird wizards have never lost their pride and dignity.

Lucy pleaded with them to accept small sums of money. She secretly paid taxes for them. Stepping on his paternal worries and shutting unreasonable concerns, Jude Heartfillia said nothing as his daughter went on missions for her guild. It brought some peace to her tormented mind and distracted her from the sorrows.

Since then his daughter has stopped to attend the New Year's balls. His servants rummaged the mansion every year during the party, checking all the possible places to hide. Jude Heartfillia heaves a sigh and massages his temples as the last guests enter the house. He wants Lucy to live in a real world, to enjoy the only holiday all the country celebrates. He talked to her not once about the party. She needs to get acquainted with new people, to have new friends... The rich man even suggested inviting the remaining members of Fairy Tail. That caused her to give an unamused chuckle. Even if they agreed to arrive, it would probably worsen their case. They are no more but a bundle of losers now. Their appearance in the high society will be a pure torture for them.

Moreover, there is something else... Of course, Jude Heartfillia refrained from mentioning her unmarried status, but the fact slightly worried him, especially during the nights as he tossed and couldn't fall asleep. Twenty one! Most heiresses got married at seventeen, for the God's sake! Because of this, Mr. Heartfillia never invites young unmarried ladies to the ball and makes sure to have as many single heirs as possible. Though, what for? Lucy persistently skipped the festivities. No matter how many maids look for her, the Celestial Mage is never found on the New Year's ball. He sighs again. Where is she? At six p.m. everyone sees the blonde heiress in her new favourite white fluffy dress getting ready to the party. A cheerful expression and a lopsided grin are convincing enough to make them believe that she attends the party this year. Servants and Jude himself won't stop watching her. Lucy's behavior is never suspicious, she even looks pretty excited about the event. But then she will just vanish unnoticed by any one. Her father can only speculate that it has something to do with her magic. In this case, there is little he can do. They agreed long time ago, never again would Jude Heartfillia stand between his daughter and her spirits.

The spruce is glowing with magic, auroras playing on its jade needles. Blizzards are singing in high-pitched voices under the lower branches. Stars are falling from the top, one catches his attention as it's especially bright and big. Instead of landing on the white field beneath the tree, it flies all the way to Mr. Heartfillia. Frowning, he watches it crush into his outstretched palm. The star pulsated like a living heart, impatiently. Sighing once again, the rich owner of the mansion shuts his tired eyes. He has never believed naive superstitions... But Laila has. She still does. So, Jude Heartfillia makes a wish for the both of them. The star blazes up like a match and goes out, leaving a small snowflake in its stead that is slowly melting on the wrinkled hand of the caring father.

"So, that's what the high society is like."

A few guests turn their rouged faces towards the three newcomers as the most confident one thrusts the front doors open like he owned the place. A haughty smirk plays on his lips.

"Nah, what a dull place," the arrogant blonde doesn't bother to lower his voice or to stifle a yawn. No, he walks past very well-dressed and well-to-do people, whose resentment against the young mage was slightly less noticeable than pride. "Hey, Rufus, you told me that balls were all about pretty girls in fancy dresses?!"

"I can't remember ever telling you these words," the said man replies with a small smirk of his own. "If my memories are correct, I explained that worthy ladies and gentlemen arrive and..."

"Show me at least one lady who's worthy of my attention! Jeez, are you man blind? This mask of yours is probably impeding your sight or something."

If you can't find an antonym for 'tactful', you should merely think of the Light Dragon Slayer of Sabertooth. There are so many words that come to mind when you try to describe this wizard's behavior. His silent partner, who is quite an opposite to him, stops at six synonyms for 'tactless' and sighs.

"Well, well, if you ask me, I can memorize seeing a fine lady just a moment ago..." the masked mage answers smoothly, making the blonde cringe.

"Tch, under thirty, you know!" the statement has an immediate reaction from the guests as several women turn beet red and haste to hide their faces behind the fans. The dark male has to admit that invited ladies are not what you call fresh and youthful. He, however, finds the fact absolutely irrelevant. After all, it is the ball for the prosperous families. Maybe, young heiresses are not allowed to join it... Who knows? The richest people are the weirdest ones.

"Would you two, please, refrain from discussing other people in front of them?" the dark mage asks dryly, not really interested in the answer.

"Calm down, Rogue! What's a big deal? They are just a bunch of pampered bastards with money," Sting shrugs nonchalantly as he shoves hands into the pockets. Actually, Rogue doesn't deny it. They are nothing but weak and spoiled pets of Fate. Their status does not mean a thing for him. It is a simple matter of manners. Simple as that: the Shadow Dragon Slayer has manners and the Light Dragon Slayer lacks them. "We don't even have to be here. Sabertooth kinda oblige them with our presence here."

"That is truth. However, you don't suppose that master Jiemma will be happy to learn about the richest man in Fiore being insulted by representers of Sabertooth?" Rufus wonders, giving his blonde guildmate a sly grin. Sting's blue eyes become darker as he frowns. "These people may be scum, but they are also the main source of our income. Don't you forget it."

Waving aside his remark, the Light Dragon Slayer sucks in the air. Something deeply fried is being served in the next hall, and Sting can't help but notice it. His dark companion shakes the head. A so-called ball is dull and pointless. To make matters worse, Rogue can't allow himself to sink to his partner's level and lose coolness. Instead, he has to boil inside his mind and suffer the boredom in silence. Their guild received the invitation three days ago. The only volunteer to go was Rufus. The Twin Dragons were sent as two other representers because... that's what the master said. No one dared to question him. At first, the Shadow Dragon Slayer didn't mind. Thoughts, that the whole business was going to be a real mess, started to nag him when they took a train. Fighting his nausea and Sting, who was on the verge of throwing-up, Rogue tried to persuade himself that it was nothing he could not cope with. Later that day Rufus dragged the two of them into the shops to get 'appropriate' clothes for the occasion. That was another terrible experience... as he was stuck with two blondes among the raws of stalls. Moreover, the dark mage didn't find a satisfying costume. By that time he had been pissed off, however Rogue kept in his annoyance. The ball is a boring thing, but at least he can find himself a remote bench and spend the rest of the night in peace and quiet. The dark male can say that Sting will probably lift his spirits with food as he takes a smell at the warm air...

"Sabertooth Guild. I am pleased to know that you have made it here."

Three heads turn around to see the owner of a low voice. Rogue and Rufus nod politely, acknowledging his greetings, while the blonde just gives the old man a cocky smile. Unlike the Shadow Dragon Slayer, his partner got himself a fine navy-blue suit that gave a deceptive idea of Sting being a gentleman. No need to say, that some guests have already realized that the mage's appearance doesn't correspond with his behaviour.

"The pleasure is ours," the masked wizard replies smoothly. In front of them stands Mr. Heartfillia, one of the richest men in Fiore. As far as Rogue is concerned, the sir is quiet an influential person. Their master would like to get some additional investments... That's the only reason the dark male actually agreed to join the event. The point is evidently lost on Sting's side for his attitude doesn't encourage any support for Sabertooth.

"You gotta have some very serious problems to call us on the New Year Eve," the blonde smirks smugly at the owner of the mansion, his hands still in the pockets. There is an invisible glowing sign above Sting's head saying 'I-don't-give-a-damn-who-you-are-'caz-I'm-superior'. "And here I thought we got some invitation to relax, not to work!"

Red eyes widen in wonder. Turns out Rogue's partner is much more perceptive than he gives him credit for. It didn't cross his mind that Sir Heartfillia invited them not only as honourable members of Sabertooth, but as CAPABLE mages as well. The dark male didn't think for a moment that the ball would be some kind of a mission.

"You are certainly welcomed to enjoy the party," the host nods to some other guests as they pass by and turns back to the Sabers. "Every year the most outstanding citizens of Fiore are invited to the New Year's ball. Sabertooth is the most powerful and worthy guild in the country, that is why you are here. I have no intention of hiring you," a deep frown cuts the rich man's forehead for a moment as he mutters under his breath. "Even if I had plans to hire mages, she would never forgive me again."

The last remark doesn't escape the Dragon Slayers' ears. Rogue's interest is picked up immediately. It is pretty boring out here and he has no intention of spending the rest of the ball by his partner's side who will probably embarrass both of them. Some mission would have been a perfect distraction. New Year isn't something the dark mage enjoy very much. Too much hustle over nothing, too many drinks and a way too much screwed Sting. Being his best friend is a tedious responsibility. You have to make sure the Light Dragon Slayer doesn't blow up the town, or grab a wrong woman, or confuse their master with some random guy, or... There are many possibilities Rogue has to consider and prevent from happening. Sting always enjoys his New Year's party. It's a holiday from him. But it's a work for the Shadow Dragon Slayer, and a hard one. As Rogue ponders upon the most tactful approach to the matter, his partner doesn't have such a problem. The White Dragon Slayer is as blunt as usual. The dark male can only roll his eyes. So much for being courteous.

"Who is she? Huh, I'll do the job and this she will never know we were here!" Sting exclaims, confidence radiating from him. The Shadow Dragon Slayer notices that another blonde doesn't bother to hide his smile, eyes behind the mask glitter in amusement. Sting and stealthiness do not mix well. No, they do not mix at all. Rogue breathes a sigh, he would have face-palmed if the owner of the mansion didn't stand in front of him.

"I appreciate your concern," this time the dark male can hardly suppress an ironical chuckle. Concern? As if Sting cares a damn. Fortunately, Sir Heartfillia doesn't notice doubt on his face and carries on. "However, the person in question is the one to be found. It is impossible to hire anyone without her knowing it."

"Jeez, you have a grave situation here! Man, your wife is avoiding you on the New Year's Eve, what a pity!" the Light Dragon Slayer snickers nastily, making the rich man cringe as if stabbed. A net of wrinkles covers his face, and Jude Heartfillia doesn't look that influential or important any more. Rogue blinks. There is just an old exhausted man with a troubled life and a tormented soul. He does look weak and pathetic. His proud shoulders are stooped now, severe eyes are lowered in shame. The famous rich man can't raise his face to look them in the eyes. There is surely a lot of guilt splashing out there that is not to be seen by outsiders. Still, condescendence is not the best way to win Heartfillia's favour. Whatever skeletons the old man has in his cupboard, he is still rich and influential. And master Jiemma was very specific about being on good terms with people from high society like Heartfillias. Meaning, Sting's big mouth and cockiness led to another headache for his partner. Is it the hundredth or two-hundredth time Rogue sighs today? Doesn't matter, he always loses count when around the blonde mage.

"Please forgive our partner's rudeness. He is not very subtle with words," a dark aura emanates from the Shadow Dragon Slayer as he casts a murderous glance at his impulsive friend. This blonde head of his is thick, but he at least can grasp the idea that it's time to shut up for a moment. It's Rogue's job to settle things after he messes them. That's just how the world works. "He meant that New Year is not the time to be away from your family. So, our guild will be delighted to assist you in any possible way," lies drop from his tongue so fluently he almost starts to believe his words himself. What a perfect nonsense. The Shadow Dragon Slayer would give away half his fortune to have at least one peaceful New Year away from his 'family' and spend it with only his sweet and kind Exceed. But it doesn't matter right now, because Heartfillia seems to jump at the bait. The old man straightens himself a bit, his eyes getting a feeble but determined glint.

"My wife passed away 15 years ago, my daughter is the only family I have," the rich man explains after a moment of hesitation. The masked mage offers his condolences while Rogue nods slowly. As to Sting... He is just being... Sting. The word 'daughter' makes him turn away from the direction of food as he spares a glance at Sir Heartfillia. "We had our issues in the past, but I thought we figured them out. These annual balls have become a tradition in our house. However, my daughter refuses to attend them. Every year I have my personal servants watch every door and window of the mansion. They swear she never leaves the building. One moment my Lucy is here, the next one she is not. I do not want her to shut herself away from life..."

It takes Rogue a lot of effort to conceal his contempt at the rich man's words. The Shadow Dragon Slayer almost sympathizes with this girl that seeks peace and quiet on the New Year's Eve and escapes pompous events. Now there is envy crawling up the back of his mind. He wishes he could just skip the whole party at the guild as well. But, unlike her, he has to deal not with a bothersome dad but with a very fastidious and abusive master.

"Do you want us to search for her?" Rufus suggests helpfully, exchanging slim smiles with the Light Dragon Slayer. "I assure you she will never know we were asked to find her. As soon as we determine your daughter's location, we will inform you immediately and you can confront her yourself."

Jude Heartfillia doesn't answer right away. There is an internal battle going on, Rogue can almost see conflicting feelings fighting each other in tired eyes. That is something the dark male fails to understand. _Why is it so difficult to decide?_ The man either respects his daughter's wish or doesn't. If he does, he refuses. If he doesn't, he agrees. What is there to muse over? This wavering side of the rich man is quite exasperating as the Shadow Dragon Slayer finds himself gritting teeth in annoyance.

"Do your best, please," Jude Heartfillia gives a verdict, forever falling into a pit of contempt in Rogue's eyes.

The White Dragon Slayer gives his thumbs up and rushes away from the man, followed by the galant masked mage. Turning his back on the host, the dark male doesn't spare him a second glance. The mission is a good entertainment and a slick way to win the rich man's favour. Still, Rogue doesn't feel like smiling. He would rather have some task more physically difficult than seek the hiding girl and give her away. Maybe, luck will take his side and let others find her before him. For the Shadow Dragon Slayer would hate the person to ruin his peace, were he in the girl's boots.

"Blo-o-o-o-ndie-e-e! Come out! No point to play hide and seek with us!"

Does Sting care about stealth and confidentiality? This rhetorical question has been circling in the dark male's mind for a time now. His partner enjoys himself very much. It's just a game for him as he checks every curtain and wardrobe. They are passing through the long corridor now, doors to numerous rooms at both sides of it. The blonde mage doesn't hesitate to enter each one of them. Rogue follows his friend without much enthusiasm. Though, he has to admit, it is quite an excursion. The mansion is enormous, full of pictures, sculptures and pieces of furniture worth a fortune. So, the Shadow Dragon Slayer can't say he is completely bored. Anyway, it's better to gawk at decorated chambers than to watch drunken guildmates do unimaginable things.

The Twin Dragon Slayers enter the last room on the floor and it differs from the rest. It's definitely lived-in and it has a warmer atmosphere. The chamber lacks expensive pictures or carpets. Instead, walls are lined with bookcases, though it appears that they leak for books are everywhere. There are two neat piles of thick volumes on a small writing table in front of the window, a few colorful editions lie on the floor under the chair, four magazines are scattered over the peachy counterpane on the bed with a big plush cat. The blonde mage is poking his long nose to every wardrobe and locker, as if the girl can fit into such a small space. Satin skirts and silk gloves fall from the chests as the Light Dragon Slayer is zealously studying their contents looking for Ms. Heartfillia. Last doubts leave Rouge's mind when he notices a few pictures of famous male mages protruding from under a heart-shaped pillow. Male mages who are generally considered handsome by females. Making simple logical conclusions, the Shadow Dragon Slayer realizes that the room belongs to a girl, most probably to the host's daughter. All in all, Jude Heartfillia told them she was his only family. It is very unlikely for some maid to have so many pompous and expensive dresses. So, it leaves only the hiding female in question.

"You will never find the girl if you continue to fool around," Rogue comments nonchalantly as his partner calls for 'Blondie' once again. Behind the cool mask, however, irritation is seething quietly like a thick green broth. His ears are pretty sore already. One more useless yell and he will tear out the blonde's tongue. "If you want to succeed, I'd recommend you to start using your brains," the dark male adds lazily, pinching the bridge of his nose. Fourteen years of acquaintance with such a booming person resulted in a permanent headache that can't be cured with anything but silence. That's probably why Rogue prefers to keep quiet as much as possible, to cherish the few moments of blissful silence. Unfortunately, these moments are very rare. You might just as well try to store ice cream in a heated oven. It is a big question what takes longer: an ice-cream to melt or Sting to start babbling again.

"Fun-ruiner, ain't you?" his partner puffs out with self-importance. "Everything is under my control! Don't you worry! The mission is going to be a piece of cake!" he waves aside the dark male's remarks and shouts for the hiding Ms. once again, making Rogue cringe. "Blo-o-o-ndie! I'm coming for ya!"

"How do you even know she is blonde?" the Shadow Dragon Slayer wonders in a sheer attempt to distract himself from murderous thoughts. The girl's room is definitely not a proper place to kill your best friend.

"Call it 'Blonde's Intuition'! Hey, I just know it, okay?!" he cries in defense as Rogue rises a brow in a manner that annoys him immensely. "Anyway, I'm outta here! There're more rooms to check!... Blo-o-o-ndie!"

Rogue heaves an exasperated sigh. And he has hoped to pass the mission to Sting... Seems like New Year is not his holiday. Another sigh, the dark male reluctantly picks up a white glove from the floor and takes a sniff. Interesting. As he exits the room, Rogue picks up a faint trail of a sweet scent that reminds him of summer blooms. A blare of Sting's voice reverberates around the corridors. Of course, his partner went the wrong way. Shaking the head, the Shadow Dragon Slayer follows the scent that leads to another wing of the mansion. Walking for a few minutes, Rogue reaches the kitchens. He doesn't pay much attention to perplexed cooks and servants as he is completely engrossed in the pursuit. Several ladles sink in enormous saucepans with delicious soups when distracted chefs watch with dropped jaws the famous Dragon Slayer crawling under the counters and sniffing the cupboards.

Oblivious to the general puzzlement and sweat-dropping, Rogue follows the scent with diligence. _What was the girl doing here?!_ She definitely got her hands into three buffets and took a chocolate bar, a bundle of pepper-mint and... _why on earth would she need a bread knife?!_ Then there a cupboard with a missing teapot from a porcelain set. According to the scent, Ms. Heartfillia also checked a few pots and pans. She probably decided to taste some dishes before disappearing. No one dares to sound the astonishment at the dark male opening the lids and smelling the food. Crimson eyes narrow. The girl obviously enjoyed a salmon stew with cranberry very much because she was hanging over the saucepan long enough to make her scent penetrate the dish. Rogue just can't help trying the fish himself since it is so popular... Well, nothing special. Though, he has to admit that a sweet smack of strawberry, probably left from the female's fingers, gives it a curious after-taste. Absently, he takes another spoon of the stew and leaves the kitchens as the trail leads him further...

Suddenly, melodious chimes float through the air. The clock has just stricken nine p.m. Three hours to midnight. Three hours to New Year. Three hours till the new year arrives. Three hours to complete the mission. The last one this year. Not the most enjoyable one, but not that dull, actually. The hustle and bustle of the entrance-room increases, the hall turns into a buzzing hive as guests become extremely active. Taken by surprise, Rogue quietly observes the spacious entrance-room from the balcony on the second floor. A motley river of ladies and gentlemen pours into the dining hall, quickly emptying the anteroom. The orchestra and a merry ringing of glasses can be heard from behind the doors as the New Year's party at the Heartfillias' officially begins.

A surreal silence and stillness befall the hall. The only sound one can hear is a gentle rustle of emerald branches and a lullaby of small blizzards under the spruce. Snowflakes are waltzing around the white drifts. An ocean of sharp smells and perfumes envelopes him as the Shadow Dragon Slayer comes down to the hall. All the fragrance makes the dark male a bit dizzy, the delicate scent of fruit blooms lost in the vulgar mix of expensive eau-de-Colognes. The trail ends here. Rogue can't define the feeling nagging his soul. It is either a bitter disappointment or a huge relief. This hide-and-seek turned out to be quiet entertaining, so the mage wouldn't mind playing a bit more. However, he is not thrilled about exposing the poor girl to the bloody party... His nose completely useless, the dark male feels beaten and unsatisfied. All in all, he is just slightly, very slightly, curious about the bread knife. _Whom would the girl want to... knife..?_ Before Rogue admits defeat and walks away to find the blonde moron called his friend, his sensitive ears catch an unnatural sound. Tensing, the dark mage turns around, his eyes narrowed. But nothing seems out of ordinary. An empty hall. A great sparkling spruce with snow flying down. Nothing odd.

This indistinct crunch again. A flame of excitement blazes up as the Shadow Dragon Slayer slowly approaches the huge tree. The passionless face creases into a slight smile. The game is not over yet. His nose can't help him here. But his ears can.

A tiny snowflake makes a loop in the air and lands gracefully on an outstretched hand. Its touch doesn't bite like real frost, but rather tickles with gentle coolness. Lucy giggles at the sensation as she dances around the spruce's trunk and catches snowflakes as if they were white butterflies. What a joy it is to be hidden away from an artificial world of subtlety, dull manners and cajoles! She laughs at the naïve and tiresome festivities the high society has.

 _What are they going to do, anyway? Watch some poor jugglers swallow fire and pikes? Dance with rich spoilt jerks? Exchange eloquent and empty pleasantries? Stuff themselves with viands they eat every day? Show off their expensive dresses, trying to one-up every other guest? Maybe, 'enjoy' some cheesy performance?_

A mirthless laugh escapes her mouth. _What a dull-witted folk! And they call themselves 'the best of the best'. They, who have never seem the real life behind the gloss of richness, will marvel at anything, no matter how trivial it is._

He is a wizard?! Oh my!

He can joggle?! Oh my!

Is it pork?! Oh my!

The Celestial Mage has always wondered if they'd exclaim 'Oh my!' at learning where the milk comes from.

When mum was around, it wasn't like that. The ball was real. People were real. It wasn't a corny show. There were sincere smiles on the guests' faces. There was warmth in their words, not fake pleasantries. And she enjoyed the event. She cherished every hour of the ball. Now Lucy counted hours for it to end.

There was one New Year the blonde enjoyed. Five years ago. It was the last New Year's ball she didn't spend under the spruce. The party when her friends were around. Fairy Tail knew how to add real magic into the event! The air was saturated with merriment and joy! Friendly brawls, flying china, broken tables and tangled tapestries. A few teeth, scattered all over the marble floors. Madness and craziness, that's the spirit of New Year! You could wonder at real things. Who would be the first to reach the star on the spruce? Who would be the last one to stand after two hours of non-stop-mad-dancing-with-plates-on-heads? Who would read a poem to touch the hearts of the goofiest ones? Who would win the snow fight? Who would risk to try Natsu's cooking? Then, when it was thirteen minutes to midnight, Cana would make her card-reading for the following year. They would share their dreams and secrets, admit their fears. Later there would be some funny, as ineloquent as possible, toasts. But these toasts and wishes were the sincerest ones.

Lucy misses them. Just as much as she misses her mum. The blonde knows that her actions for the last five New Years were absolutely unfair towards her dad who did his best to make it up to her. Maybe, she is selfish. Maybe, she should have come out just for his sake. Maybe, she is an ungrateful daughter. But Lucy just can't make herself go out there, into the fake plastic world of glitters and hypocritical smiles. She enjoys it here. This peace and quite that is just next to the hustle and bustle of the high society. This mesmerizing beauty. Its simpleness. Its magic.

The Celestial Wizard breathes in a fresh smell of coniferous branches in snow and falls back into the drift. White hills surround the space under the tree, hiding her from the haughty eyes of fancy-dressed guests and her farther. Green needles creat a pretty high ceiling, so Lucy can stand at full height. The reason she wears the white dress every ball is to merge perfectly with the snowy scenery just in case someone peaks behind the hills. Though, a corset is too tight to let her fully enjoy the time. So, with some help of a bread knife the blonde easily gets rid of an irritating piece of cloth and puts on the dress. The skirt is also a bit too fluffy to run freely in the snow. As a result, it is also discarded. There she is, the only heiress to the Heartfillias' fortune, lolling about in the snowdrifts, catching flakes with her mouth... in a splendid dress without a skirt. Anyway, her drawers were just as splendid, not a big deal.

A teapot with brewed mint is still warm as it stands near by. An unwrapped bar of milk chocolate is a bit dusted with snowflakes, though they don't spoil the taste. Three more hours to midnight. She can enjoy them here, under the caring branches of the magical spruce that separates her from the hum of the outside world. A giggle escapes the blonde as she imagines everyone searching for her. _Seriously, who would guess to look under the tree that stands in the middle of the entrance-hall?!_

Swimming in the pleasant dreams and sighing in content, the Celestial Wizard stands up and reaches for a heart-shaped ginger cookie on the lower branch. That's why she insists on decorating the tree...

Quietness, snow, tea, the sparkling spruce and ginger cookies. That is all the perfect New Year's Eve needs.

Smiling happily, Lucy tugs at the pastry.

It won't go.

She tugs again. It is still hidden behind the needles. A few crumbles fall down on her rosy cheeks.

The Celestial Mage frowns. A few moments are spent in absolute confusion on her part, her hand still grasping the pastry. The knots on the cookies are never tight...

There are things that you come to realize very slowly. Things which have been there in the first place but you've never noticed them. Like there is a strange buzz in the room, but you become aware of it only when you try to concentrate on something and find it distracting. So, that's how Lucy suddenly feels someone's hot breath on her neck. Frozen to the spot, she darts a glance to the right and see another outstretched hand that definitely does not belong to her. No doubt, it holds the other (concealed in needles) part of her favourite heart-shaped cookie.

Sucking in a sharp breath, the Celestial Wizard turns around.

"You have found a nice place to hide, Ms. Heartfillia. I am impressed."


	2. Two Hours to Midnight

**Under the Spruce**

 _by SparklyLarry_

Chapter Two

 **Two Hours to Midnight**

 _A/N: okay, it's a three-shot. Merry Christmas, by the way! I wanted to post it on December 24th, but, well... earlier I had two exams and only one night to get ready xD You get the idea._

 _Anyway, five more days before 2016 comes! And here comes the second chapter! Don't miss the last one on December 31st. My farewell to 2015 ;)_

 _P.S. it's not beta-readed, please forgive me my mistakes._

 _Now, enjoy!_

Blood-red wine is glowering at playful champaign from within elegant glasses in elegant hands of elegant ladies in elegant dresses. There are too many 'elegant' things but nobody (anyway, almost nobody) complains, because they are elegant themselves... and, well... Fish shouldn't be bothered with excessive wetness of the ocean. Pigs do not whine that they are surrounded with mud. It is their natural environment. The same goes for the high society. It's pompous here, extravagant there, extremely and ridiculously expensive everywhere...! But that what their natural habitat is like. You can't blame them, wealthy fools. They can find one hundred and three eloquent words to describe their delight while being absolutely ignorant of its real meaning.

Lucy Heartfillia is an alien in this world of richness. She may come from there, but she can't belong to this vulgar exuberance. So, the young heiress escapes. The Celestial Mage prefers mesmerizing beauty of snow and sparkles to the gloss of jewelry, sweet ginger cookies with a pinch of cinnamon and cloves to luxurious drinks. Most of all, however, she enjoys the winter's stillness as all the guests leave the entrance hall at 9 p.m. Enchanting silence embraces this little world of hers.

There is no doubt, that Lucy is a well-educated, well-brought, well-conducted and many other 'well-something' young woman, whose lexicon is pretty rich. Not that rich to turn a simple 'sorry, I stepped on your foot' into a four-volume novel, but just exuberant enough to call a male beside her a few colourful names. First thing first, though. Frowning slightly, the Celestial Wizard tugs forcefully so that the cookie finally goes down... with another hand still grasping it. She faces the intruder now, her lips pouted and brows furrowed. His scarlet eyes, calm and indifferent, bore into her challenging ones from behind the pitch-black fringe. The unfortunate baked heart decorated with icing is stuck between the two, both of them letting go of it.

"That's my cookie," Lucy growls at last, making another futile attempt at taking the pastry away. She would have said 'that's my hiding place, so get lost', but the intruder's persistence at keeping her cookie just got on her nerves.

"I did not mean to intrude," the heiress puffs at his apology that sounds more like a well rehearsed line from some cheap novel. The dark male raises a brow at her reaction. What has he expected? A quiet, bashful and polite rich girl who only knows how to blush? Tsk.

"Of course you didn't. You just do," the blonde rolls the eyes and puts one hand on a hip in an accusing manner. "Let go of my cookie, will you?! I tell you, there are eight hundred seventy seven pastries left on the tree. Just go and find yourself a cookie."

Lucy is pretty sure she has never met the red-eyed man before, however there is a nasty thought at the back of her mind that his face is somehow familiar. But more disturbing is the fact that he knows who she is, as the dark male addressed her by Ms. Heartfillia a few minutes ago. What could give her away? Disheveled and skirt-less, covered in crumbles and chocolate, the blonde does not strike as a famous Heartfillia's heiress. Moreover, there are very few people who know her as the daughter of the richest businessman. Lucy also made sure to show her face in public as little as possible. Fingers on one hand is all it takes to count those lucky individuals who have seen her face close enough to remember it. Blast it! Even if this jerk has seen her face before, there is no way he would recognize 'Ms. Heartfillia' without a make-up or an elegant hair-style! Not to mention that he just 'happened' to walk under the spruce! What idiotic guests skip the festal dinner to go under the tree?! That logic is what saves Lucy every New Year's party. Nobody looks behind the snowdrifts in the middle of the hall!

"Okay?!" her patience running thin, the blonde demands some kind of answer from the intruder, because the red-eyed man has been silent for six minutes now. Not that she minds, but he is still to let go of her cookie. It's not the question of pastries' shortage. There are plenty of them. It's her pride that troubles. Some arrogant jerk turns up under the spruce, discovers her five-year-old hiding place, grabs her cookie and gets away with that?! No way.

"As I said, that is an impressive place to avoid the ball," a quiet chuckle escapes him as Lucy's eyes widen at the sudden realization. She facepalms, furious at being so slow-witted. Another chuckle does nothing to calm her down. Lucy gives the intruder an evil eye, wishing to throw something at the cool and satisfied face of his . "It took me about two hours to find you, Ms. Heartfillia". Her eyes focus on a white emblem on the man's cloak. Of course. She should have expected it.

"Right," the blonde mutters in a dangerously emotionless tone. "So, Daddy is done playing hide-and-seek with me, huh? I wonder what took him so long to hire another bloody guild to find me. He surely spared no expense to call Sabertooth mages," she adds bitterly, but coldly. If words could freeze, the wizard in front of her would be a glacier. Lucy is half expecting him to deny her statement. Her farther has surely instructed the Tiger not to mention him. But, seriously! Does he really consider his daughter to be so dense? Why else would anybody search for her but to earn money for the job? To be honest, the Celestial Wizard doesn't blame her poor dad... Surprisingly, at the moment she is being vex rather at the man in a black cloak, than at her farther. Unlike the last time with Phantom Lord, Lucy is quite sure now that the old man has best intentions at heart. He wants her out not for the family's good, but for her own. He worries. He cares. That she can understand. There is nothing to hold grudge against. Still, the knowledge doesn't make finding her any better. And since the blonde needs something to pour all her anger and frustration on, she glares impatiently at the passive face, pricking him with rebellious eyes.

"Well?! Aren't you going to say something?" she is done waiting and wants to hear jerk's pathetic excuses, trying to screen her farther. However, the male refrains from answering and just studies her with a careful look, as though approaching an unusual exotic fruit. There is something resembling curiosity in the red orbs... Or is it mockery? It's not easy to tell when brows and lips (actually, any face muscle in general) do not move at all. Just like staring at a mountain from afar and guessing what geomorphological processes go on down there.

"Do you not find it pointless?" the Sabertooth mage sighs at last and asks with a slightly raised brow. Lucy, her mouth a perfect 'O', just gapes at him. "Do you really want to hear some rubbish about it being my own initiative to search for the hiding hostess?" he looks expectantly at her. Reluctantly, the blonde makes a face and mumbles.

"No".

"Just what I have expected".

Silence. A tense one. It can hardly be less amiable. It's so thick you can spread it over bread. He blonde fidgets nervously, because a) the male is staring and it's kind of scary; b) she doesn't want to go out and needs to come up with some idea to escape from this red-eyes hound; and c) Lucy's fluffy skirt is still somewhere, but not on her. All three points made the situation pretty awkward. The worst thing is that the Celestial Wizard isn't sure which one of the three is more urgent. Lucy doesn't like his gaze, but if she moves he'll probably notice absence of her skirt... Or, maybe, the pervert has already noticed and now he is just playing ignorant.

"Anyway, how much do you get for me?" the blonde can't bear the silence any longer and manages to spit at him. Surprisingly, the question makes the male... Uncomfortable? At least, that's how Lucy interprets him rubbing the back of his neck.

"We haven't really... discussed it yet," he admits, shifting eyes away. Lucy snorts derisively. She has read quite a few articles about Sabertooth Tigers. Arrogant bastards. Now that the Celestial Wizard had enough time to look at the man in front of her, she can remember coming across his picture in The Sorcerer Weekly. Though, no matter how hard Lucy tries, she can't remember the name or his interviews. He must be an antisocial type. "The job was a bit unexpected and spontaneous."

"You mean my Dad hasn't informed you about the job?! You just arrive and he welcome you, like 'Happy New Year! By the way, I've got a good job for you!' Really?" Now, that is too incredulous to believe.

"Not exactly... Sir Heartfillia was a bit hesitant at first. But my partners... persuaded him to accept our offer," the dark Tiger fixes his gaze back on Lucy. "Personally, I agreed to do the job out of boredom," he adds nonchalantly, causing the blonde to give another snort of indignation.

"I am so glad to know that my misery erases someone's boredom!" she comments vehemently, not bothering to suppress a bitter laugh. There is no need to give him accusing looks. Selfish men without conscience reflect all visual stabs. And the mage in front of her is just one of them. Instead, the Celestial Wizard searches with her eyes for an escape way. If she can just outrun the red-eyed jerk...

A chuckle.

Lucy's eyes travel back to the dark male, puzzlement plastered over her face. Her ears didn't trick her. There he is, a small smirk marring his lips. Scarlet eyes watch her with cold curiosity, like a blizzard that wonders whether you'll freeze if it blows harder.

"What's so funny?" the Celestial Wizard growls at him as the male shakes the head.

"It won't work," he answers in an amused tone simply and Lucy's heart falls. She understands without elaborations what he means. Still, the blonde won't restrain her belligerent spirit. If there is no chance at biting, she will at least bare her fangs.

"You're an awfully confident jerk," the Celestial Wizard smiles through gritted teeth.

Before she can come up with a few more insulting words, the dark mage suddenly bends down and buries his nose in her hair. You may think that a girl should melt down when a handsome mysterious wizard takes a sniff of her locks with closed eyes under the sparkling spruce amid the magic snow... Until that moment, Lucy has also believed in it with all her heart... Reality turns out to be less romantic. So, the dark red-eyed stranger with an infuriatingly impassive face, who ruined her New Year's tradition a few minutes ago, snuffles at Lucy's hair, who is standing in her underpants. 'Awkward' is a very mild word to describe the situation. The Celestial Wizard isn't sure herself how to put the scene into words were she to include it into the book. So, the blonde does the only logical thing in this case. She squeals and jumps away... Or rather attempts to jump away. Her legs get tangled and Lucy falls down into the snow, a swarm of white flakes whirling around her.

Another chuckle.

The Celestial Wizard glowers at the dark male from under the snow-covered locks that landed on her face during the flight. She quickly decides that he is more tolerable when silent and impartial.

"Ms. Heartfillia, when I said that escaping is futile it wasn't to spite you. I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Rogue Cheney, and I am the Shadow Dragon Slayer of Sabertooth. You have a very peculiar scent, Ms. Heartfillia. It has led me here and it will lead me to any other hiding place", the Dragon Slayer explains patiently, not a trace of a previous smile on his neutral face.

"So, what now?" a mischievous idea pops in her head and she smiles devilishly. "Suppose, I refuse to leave this place? I'm staying right here in this snowdrift, eating my... Hey! Give me back my cookie!" Lucy cries indignantly as the absence of her pastry becomes evident. She let go of it when falling down.

Rogue raises a brow and casts an indifferent look at the baked heart in his hand. Before the blonde can make any objections, he nibbles at the cookie with a nonchalant expression.

"Not bad," Lucy guesses that it is the best compliment the Shadow Dragon Slayer can come up with. She vigorously snatches the baked heart as he stretches out his hand and takes a nip herself.

"It is called 'yummy', silly," the blonde mumbles as crunches fall down from her mouth. "So, Rogue Cheney, huh? I would have said 'Nice to meet you!', but nope. Sorry about that", she adds nonchalantly, mimicking him. The dark male doesn't miss the mock and narrows scarlet eyes. She watches in triumph as his brows burrow and lips' corners go down. Well, it's a bit difficult to discern displeasure on such an expressionless face, but half an hour is all it took Lucy to get used to these subtle changes in the Shadow Dragon Slayer.

"Tell me, Ms. Heartfillia, did you happen to be a member of a so-called guild... Fairy Tail?"

The cookie freezes a few inches away from the blonde's open mouth. Slowly, she lowers the baked heart and turns a hard gaze at the male. It's her turn now to tilt brows and purse lips. He must have noticed Fairy Tail's emblem on her wrist when she took the cookie. So, here it comes. Today her guild is nothing but a bunch of weaklings... from the point of view of arrogant bastards from new elite guilds. No matter how many 'fake', unreasonably expensive and easy jobs Lucy tried to send to Fairy Tail, it was never enough to make her guild half as successful as five years ago. The Shadow Dragon Slayer will gloat now. Though, no. It's not his style. He will probably be stony-faced and dead serious, just stating bitter truth with his emotionless tone.

"I still am," the Celestial Wizard won't back away. She is a Fairy Tail's mage. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Nope, Lucy is proud to be one. So, the blonde throws her head up defiantly, eyes burning with passion and determination to protect her friends... and memories of them. However, she doesn't face anticipated disdain or condescension.

"I see. That explains a lot..." Rogue gives her a blank look and simply nods without further remarks. It's kind of relief not to hear insults about her disappeared family... However, Lucy can't help getting annoyed at the sentence hanging unfinished.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demands in a low voice, considering a snowball into his poker face.

"I joined Sabertooth five years ago," sighing, the Dragon Slayer replies reluctantly. "Back then I had second thoughts about joining your guild... My partner and I soon learnt about its core members deceasing..." he must have become aware of the dark aura emanating from the blonde, so he quickly corrects his slip. "I mean disappearing. We knew the names of many famous wizards from Fairy Tail. One of my comrades, the Celestial Wizard, used to be the admirer of Lucy Heartfillia. There were some gossips about her being the heiress of the Heartfillia family, but we have never really believed this nonsense. It looked like a coincidence," the dark male falls silent and looks intently at the blonde's wrist she clasps to the chest. "I guess we were wrong. It appears that the famous Celestial Mage, Lucy Heartfillia, and Ms. Heartfillia in front of me are, all in all, one person", he concludes quietly, searching for something in her face as if trying to compare two images of Lucy.

"Um... Well... Yeah, that's me," the Celestial Wizard admits hesitantly, grinning like a fool. The revelation is probably pretty shocking. It is not like every rich girl exchanges a comfortable and peaceful existence in luxury for a restless and adventurous life among crazy wizards.

"It is easier to take you for a Fairy Tail's mage than for a Heartfillia's heiress," Rogue replies in a blunt manner, though Lucy can't determine whether he shows praise or disapproval. So, she just tilts her head and gives him a confused look. "Are not ladies supposed to enjoy balls and..." a slight smirk forms on his lips. Bad sign! The blonde tenses, getting ready for a verbal attack. "... wear skirts?"

A mixture of embarrassment and indignation results in a loud yelp as Lucy rapidly draws legs to her chest and hugs them, trying to cover pink underpants. This chuckle again. She grits her teeth. Now the blonde is pissed off. With colour still tinting her cheeks, the Celestial Wizard grabs some snow, quickly forms a big ball and throws it right at the smug face concealed under a mask of indifference. This time she is the one to chuckle... Though, Lucy doesn't chuckle but laughs boisterously, eagerly showing her joy. Another unladylike thing to do. The sooner the Tiger realizes she is a feisty Fairy, not a fragile milksop, the better. Melted snow slides down his blank features. No fun is left there... excepting a tiny spark in the scarlet eye the blonde barely detects.

"Whatever. Put on your skirt and follow me, if you please," Rogue commands in a dead serious voice, turning away as though really expecting her to obey. Lucy folds arms over the chest and straightens up.

"No," she refuses briskly, gawking at the man who stops briefly. His head slowly tilts back and he looks up at the spruce as if in thought.

"No?" the Dragon Slayer repeats dully after a minute or two.

"No."

"Do you want me to carry you then?" Rogue inquires after another moment of strained silence in the same dry voice. A note of threat is feelable now, though. It burns like a cube of ice in the drink. No smirk adjusts his face, but the blonde has no doubt that the mage has simply managed to subdue it.

"Don't you dare, pervert!" Lucy warns in a dangerous tone. "If you as much as touch me, I'll scream and tell Daddy you masturbated!" she snickers nastily as the dark male's ears tinge and his red eyes turn into saucers. "Hmm... I believe that the lack of skirt will only prove it!" the blonde adds in a matter-of-fact way, smiling sweetly. "Oh? A gentleman, aren't you? Won't risk ruining you good reputation, I see."

"No," the Shadow Dragon Slayer gives her a curd nod and pinches the bridge of the nose. She can actually see his mind at work, considering his next move. But Lucy's triumph is short-lived for Rogue soon raises solemn ruby eyes to meet hers. "But I know someone who has no reputation to loose. It's so tarnished you wouldn't bleach it even if you wanted to."

A fluffy snowflake kisses the blonde's rosy cheek but she pays no attention to it. The young heiress gawks at Rogue with wide horrified eyes, glistering like molten chocolate. The Dragon Slayer allows a small chuckle escape him as the defeated Fairy hugs herself uncomfortably. She does resemble a fairy, who, unfortunately, lost both her tail and wings. A small, lonely fairy, snowbound and cornered by a dragon. Suddenly, Rogue's eyes catch a glitter on her face. At first, he takes it for an ice crystal. But as the dark male looks closely he distinguishes a wet trail running down her cheek. However, Lucy starts to rub her face furiously the moment she notices him staring.

"Fine," surprise strikes the Dragon Slayer like Sting's fist when, all of a sudden, the defiant Fairy stands up, grabs her skirt from under the snow and puts it on. He expected some more fight from the girl. To be completely honest, Rogue took great pleasure in the little verbal battle they had. Sabertooth is not the place where to look for verbal opponents. His guildmates preferred more brutal ways of communication. As to those few who actually enjoyed talking, like Rufus... Let's just say that they will merely blow up your mind with all eloquent and ambiguous words. Silence is the best strategy for surviving in their guild.

As Lucy is ready to leave her sanctuary, she strides proudly past the Shadow Dragon Slayer, not without shoving him on purpose. Disappointment brews and steams inside the dark mage at her giving up so easily. The most interesting part of the job was too short. Victory tastes sour now that the girl's tears and harsh glance burn hot in his memory. The male closes eyes and breaths in the frosty air, saturated with coniferous freshness and the blonde's sweetness. Maybe it was something in the air... or some shooting star from the spruce hit him hard in the head, but Rogue suddenly feels the urge to prolong the mission no matter what. To play this little New Year's game a bit longer. To stay away from the dull and vapid reality if only for another ten minutes...

"Six minutes," the Dragon Slayer rasps at last, too excited to trust his voice with more words. Amazing! The thrill of something spontaneous and rash boils his blood, Rogue has hardly been any more enlivened and animated than than he is now. This lightheadedness is a bit unusual, but not unwelcome. The feeling is something... new. Something... intriguing.

"What?" Lucy stops abruptly and gapes at him with confusion imprinted into her features. To calm down a bit and subdue his excitement, the Dragon Slayer clears the throat and repeats slowly in a firm voice.

"Six minutes," he forces himself to meet her questioning eyes. The dark male doesn't want her to know that he actually indulges himself in this game of theirs. Rogue would rather make the heiress believe that he is reluctant to give her another chance of escaping. No need to give her the wrong impression of Sabertooth mages being too... selfish. Or soft. Whatever is worse. "You've got six minutes to hide anywhere within the mansion's walls. I won't give away your sanctuary unless I can find you before the next year comes".

It takes the blonde a few seconds to digest the new information. Then a wry smirk twists her lips and she asks coyly, thick eyelashes flattering innocently. _To think that the girl was on the brink of tears a minute ago..._

"But seven minutes sound so much better...!"

"Five minutes sound even better," he cuts her short, suppressing a chuckle at her childish pout. It is extremelly difficult to keep a straight face while watching the blonde Fairy.

"Jerk," she retorts and rashes away, trying to keep her fluffy skirt out of the way. No, it's plain impossible not to smile at Lucy's elegance that is very similar to clumsiness. Only a person who comes from the high society but belongs to a crazy guild can be both graceful and clumsy. Rogue shakes his head with a slight smirk and starts to count seconds.

"You are welcome," he whispers in amusement.


	3. Midnight

**Under the Spruce**

 _by SparklyLarry_

Chapter Three

 **Midnight**

 _A/N: As promised, it is December 31st, the last day of 2015, and it is the end of this story. I enjoyed writing it!_

 _There is no snow this year, so I really miss it. I wish I had the magical spruce, too =[ Lucky Lucy._

 _Anyway, Happy New Year! And enjoy!_

Solemn music reaches the Dragon Slayer's ears as he strolls past big, decorated with golden garlands doors to the dancing hall. He wonders how the guests even manage to remember it is a New Year's party, not somebody's wedding or funeral. The atmosphere behind the doors has nothing to do with the merriest holidays of winter. Ladies just exchange corny jokes, swishing their ridiculously uncomfortable dresses. Gentlemen sip some expensive drinks in quantities so small that they never get drunk. _What's even the point in drinking alcohol if you don't plan to be effected by it?_ Well, maybe New Year's parties in Sabertooth are a bit of a harassment. But balls at Heartfillias' are the very epitome of boredom. It's a relief that Rogue was saved from this boring experience by the young heiress... who is still to be found. Perfumes have somewhat abated due to the ventilation, so the Dragon Slayer can discern smells once again. Among the lingering fragrances from fancy satin and silk dresses he easily recognizes Lucy's scent of blooming trees, mixed with ginger and cinnamon from cookies. And a very distinguishable coniferous aroma she got from spending a long time under the spruce. It is not really a challenge to track her. However, Rogue doesn't haste to find the girl. There is enough time. He'd rather enjoy the search than spend the rest of the party in Sting's company.

The scent leads back to Lucy's bedroom. It's probably the most logical thing to do since the place is not that far from the receiving hall. So, the dark male quietly enters the chamber. He blinks in puzzlement. As soon as Rogue steps over the threshold, the trail comes to an abrupt end. The Dragon Slayer frowns slightly and takes a deep breath to define all the scents in the room. Something pungent hangs over the place, causing him to sneeze. There is a white dress lying discharged on the floor. Silver shoes were evidently flung away in a rush as they are scattered over the carpet. The dark mage narrows his eyes at the second attempt to pick up the scent. But no matter how hard he tries, Lucy's fragrance is nowhere to be found. Instead, sickly sweet aromas dull every single smell. Young Heartfillia is smart all right to use perfumes.

A reserved smile twists his lips. Now that is what the Shadow Dragon Slayer calls a real game. Considering that he didn't smell this odour outside, Rogue draws a conclusion that the girl didn't leave the room via the door. So, the mage comes up to the only alternative he can think of. Sure enough, the scent intensifies on the sill. Excited, the Dragon Slayer climbs out of the window. However, he faces an unexpected predicament for the sweet and pungent compound of undistinguishable aromas suddenly splits up into three different scents, each one leading to opposite directions. How is it even possible? It must have been the wind's work or something... Burrowing brows, Rogue takes another sniff. The most intense trail seems to run to a balcony below. There he goes, landing skillfully on the tiles and walking inside another room. It looks like a study that wasn't used for quite a while, judging by the thick layer of dust on everything. The Dragon Slayer almost laughs at Lucy's imprudence for a trail of small footprints gives him all the evidence that he's on the right way. Now that the aroma isn't blent with other distracting smells, Rogue can confidently follow the strawberry scent that must the perfume she chose. All in all, the game turns out to be less challenging than he has anticipated earlier.

Half an hour later the Dragon Slayer finds himself somewhere under the mansion, passing maids and servants with laundry, dirty dishes and the like. Steam curls around the dark male who is practically running now. He's been following the strawberry scent for 34 minutes now! Lucy is a pretty fast runner with some stamina. Rogue's frustration is increasing every second now. For the first time this night the man can't say with absolute certainty that he's going to be victorious. He ignores funny looks servants give him as the dark male smells at drying linens and checks big baskets with dirty clothes. The strawberry scent lingers on many objects... The Dragon Slayer has a suspicion that the blonde touched everything on purpose to torture his sensitive nose. Well, everything is fair... It doesn't go against the rules. Still, the fact does not make running along hot, stuffy corridors any more pleasant.

Suddenly, the strawberry scent becomes much stronger. Breathing a sigh of relief, Rogue stops before a big tub. Bubbles float around the maid who has bent over the water, washing something. He can't help chuckling at the girl's resourcefulness. So, she has disguised herself as a maid? A smart move that allowed her to run around the mansion without being recognized. Mentally celebrating the victory, the Dragon Slayer steps closer and opens his mouth to tease the defeated blonde...

Steam is thinner now, allowing a better view of the girl in a maid's costume. Rogue just stands there, unable to move from the shock. His mind simply refuses to register the obvious. It stubbornly claims that the woman in front of him is Lucy Heartfillia, despite the fact that her short pink hair, round salmon eyes and angular face tell otherwise. _What... the... hell...?_

"You've made it at last, sir!" the maid who reeks of strawberries bows obligingly. "Princess asked me to congratulate you on the first failure and wish you luck," getting no response from the dumbfounded male, the pink-haired woman keeps on babbling. "Princess also said that if you really like her strawberry perfume she will gladly share it with you. Actually, I have taken a few vials just in case. You can have 'Strawberry Delights' for daily use, 'Strawberry Dreams' for special occasions, 'Strawberry Ecstasy' for dates and make-out sessions..."

Snapping out of his stupor and a bit apprehensive of other perfumes the maid has to offer, Rogue rushes back to the blonde's room. Thoughts dance madly in his mind as the male carefully analyses the blonde's plan. Oh yes, he should have given her more credit. Lucy Heartfillia. The Fairy. The Celestial Wizard. The Dragon Slayer got blinded with that fluffy dress and How naïve it was to assume that she would rely solely on her legs? Damn it, she has dozens of spirits at her service!

"Hey! Why are you running away? What about punishment?!"

Without further prompting, Rogue shifts into the shadow and slides away from the stuffy corridors.

As the Dragon Slayer sits on the sill in Lucy's room, he tries to decide which scent to follow. The first one resembles vanilla and leads to the roof, another aroma is chocolate and runs to the neighboring balcony to the right. Obviously, the girl has summoned two spirits to help her. He got unlucky with the first choice and lost a lot of time. One hour and thirteen minutes left before the clocks chime twelve times. Time is playing against him, so the dark male has to be careful about the next trail. He can't afford losing precious minutes. In this case, logic is the only key to success. Or contra-logic, meaning Rogue should understand Lucy's way of thinking. According to her logic, the idea of a pretty girl climbing all the way up to the roof... in the snowfall... in the middle of the night... must appear very unlikely. It does sound crazy. But the young heiress is a cunning vixen. She is the crazy Fairy. That fact alone explains a lot.

Having no other doubts, the Dragon Slayer follows the vanilla aroma to the top of the mansion. Every ledge is covered with insidious ice, what makes him wonder how Lucy managed to make it. Not to mention the piercing wind that howls and bites like a wounded beast. Even Rogue has some difficulties climbing the slippy wall. The vanilla scent will vanish from time to time only to reappear somewhere nearby. Finally, the smell brings him to a small round window right under the roof. The man can barely fit into the hole, but Rogue realizes it a bit late... after attempting to squeeze through the tiny window and, as a result, getting stuck there. Fortunately, Sting isn't anywhere around... If he were, the Dragon Slayer wouldn't hear the end of it. Well, Rogue admits reluctantly that he, the mighty wizard of Sabertooth, must look hilarious at the moment.

Becoming a shadow once again, the male gets out of the window and finds himself in a spacious attic. Old portraits and statues lie forgotten under rags and cobwebs, their smiles dim and lifeless. Soundlessly, Rogue continues his search, not daring to disturb ancient ghosts that probably occupy the gloom. Darkness is his natural environment, however... This darkness isn't inviting. It's cold and serene.

Finally, the smell comes to an end... in a way. The Dragon Slayer stares incredulously at the vent. His eyes may lie, but his nose cannot be mistaken. The sweet fragrance of vanilla calls to crawl down the ventilation. Any hesitation Rogue had evaporates the moment his ears catch the merry chime of the clocks. Eleven strikes. Eleven o'clock. Only one hour left. Throwing off the cloak, the Dragon Slayer dives into the narrow vent tunnel. If only his scent were as keen as now when in the shadow form, he wouldn't have to squeeze through the maze of ventilation system like a mole. Sighing and gritting his teeth, Rogue continues his pursuit. Certain somebody with blonde hair and vanilla perfume will pay for this humiliation... To lift his spirits, the male entertains himself with thoughts of teasing the heiress. Slowly, his lips curl into a smile. Maybe, just maybe, all the humiliation is worth the reward...

Crumbs merrily fall upon loose folds of a light-pink dress as Lucy happily takes another ginger cookie, closing eyes in delight. The pastry tastes even better when she imagines the mighty Shadow Dragon Slayer searching for her. Giggling, the blonde leans back. The clock strikes eleven o'clock. Just one more hour and she'll win! A strange, conflicting feeling is throbbing inside her chest. On the one hand, Lucy is happy to be finally alone. Like her usual New Year's party. No one here to irritate her, to tease her and to disturb her peaceful celebration. But on the other hand, the Celestial Wizard suddenly realizes that New Year's quietness ceases to be that desired. Five years of lonely New Year's balls. Of course, solitude is preferred to fancy dances and cheesy compliments. However... it does not make New Year perfect. Lucy misses the real atmosphere of the most magical winter night, she misses friendly jokes and brawls, challenges and competitions...

A content smile adorns her face as she keeps on daydreaming. The encounter with Rogue wasn't actually unpleasant. In fact, it was... interesting. No, it is exciting. Lucy took a strong player in her game of hide-and-seek. And he turned it into a challenge, something that reminded her of those New Years she had with Fairy Tail. The blonde shakes her head at the naïve thought that suddenly pops in the mind. Maybe, just maybe, this Shadow Dragon Slayer is the best thing that has happened to her during the last five years.

Twenty two minutes. It is twenty two damn minutes to midnight. Rogue is rapidly losing his cool, because he has wasted half an hour to a) crawl like a caterpillar through the ventilation; b) develop a headache from the sickly sweet vanilla aroma; and finally c) find a weird dog-like creature at the end of the tunnel. Its trembling paws held a small tag, saying: ' I'm Plue! Not Lucy. But don't be upset, you can still hug me!'

Now the Dragon Slayer is following the third, chocolate scent. He's running like a mad man for only twenty minutes separate him from a shameful defeat. Surprisingly, the trail doesn't lead to any 'dark' places, but goes straight to the dancing hall. If Rogue was confused before, the male is completely out of his wits now. What's the point?! Why would Lucy decide to join the ball after five years of hiding? Is it just to spite him? To prevent Sir Heartfillia from rewarding the Sabertooth? Can the blonde Fairy be that vicious? The Dragon Slayer finds it hard to believe. Though... After everything he had to endure that evening it would be wise to expect anything from the Celestial Wizard.

Rogue stops before the doors, collecting his thoughts and calming down. It is too early to jump to conclusions. The mage has to enter the hall and see for himself what trick she's got up her sleeve. For all he knows, the blonde can be hiding under the table. So, the Dragon Slayer pushes the doors. A wave of perfumes washes over him, pungent aromas assaulting his nose like a pack of starving wolves. Still, the chocolate scent is strong enough to track it to the centre of the hall. Dozens of women in motley dresses crowd in the place, gasping and giggling. What's going on? Rogue is in no mood for polite excuses. As to his patience... the Dragon Slayer has run out of it hours ago. So, he quickly elbows his way to the centre. His ears start to catch familiar voices as the mage draws nearer to the goal...

"Here you go, the flower of my soul!"

At last, Rogue makes it to the centre. The chocolate scent hangs all over the place. Red eyes widen in shock. To say that the scene is surprising will be an understatement of the year. There is Rufus waltzing around with a... big lady in a golden dress whose age is a bit difficult to define. Judging by the wrinkles on her radiant face, she could be his grandmother... or great-grandmother. The masked mage laughs and gives the old woman a smile that makes her blush... Rogue wishes he didn't witness that. Is Rufus that drunk?!

"Now, now, my fair ladies! The dancing contest has just begun! Don't be greedy!" the Shadow Dragon Slayer turns to take a look at the silver-tongued speaker. A golden-haired guy in a black costume and glasses stands next to Sting, both of them are flashing toothy smiles to older women, causing them to swoon and flush like teenagers. "No lady will be left without a dance this night! So..." the lady-killer makes a dramatic pause, adjusting his glasses mysteriously. Rogue raises a brow as women around him suck in a sharp breath.

Not wasting time on the stupid entertainment Sting and his fellow womanizer have organized, the Shadow Dragon Slayer scans the crowd, searching for the certain blonde. However, there is no woman in his sight under forty. The dark mage can't help rolling his eyes at the guildmates who must have given up on seeking the heiress and got bored. So, the two blondes decided to have some fun and, accompanied by another blonde, started the thing. Well, that's Sting for you.

But where is the Fairy? Rogue's brows knot in confusion for the chocolate scent definitely indicates her presence here. Still, he can't find her sparkling mischievous eyes in the ocean of dried and old faces. Lucy must be here! Her perfume is all over the place! Unless...

"Now, ladies! Our friend here has come to your pleasure!" the golden-haired male announces eagerly, and the Shadow Dragon Slayer suddenly becomes aware of many eyes boring holes in him. "I'm delighted to introduce you to the greatest dancer of all times, Rogue Cheney of Sabertooth! I wonder, who will be the lucky lady to have the first dance with the great Dragon Slayer...?"

Rogue did not even have time to react. Before he knows it, the dark male is swept off his feet by the insane horde of ladies. They yell, and gasp, and laugh, and coo, and crush his feet under heels, and suffocate him with their abusive perfumes, and tug him at arms, practically tearing him apart. The last thing the Shadow Dragon Slayer hears through the hubbub before getting completely lost in the mass of fancy dresses is Sting shouting with laughter.

"Ha-ha, dude, that was hilarious! Rogue's face was priceless! By the way, I kinda missed your name."

"Call me Loki, pal."

Snowflakes swarm above Lucy's head, their crystal cores sparkling with the cold magical light. Her hands laced behind the neck, the Celestial Wizard lies in the glowing snow, catching the flakes with her mouth. Surely, ginger cookies taste better, but she has eaten all the pastries from the lower branches. There is one left, though. The bitten ginger heart is safely hidden in her waist pocket. She doesn't haste to finish it. No, the blonde plans to crunch on it after midnight, when her victory is absolute and indisputable. The sweet taste for the sweet triumph.

Sniggering, Lucy muses on the current events in the mansion. It must be around midnight. Guests are probably drinking toasts to her father now in a serene atmosphere. As to her Dad... he surely hopes to see her enter the dancing hall in Layla's dress in the last minute, a radiant smile upon the face. Guilt was damped down five years ago, it is too late to regret past decisions now. Her farther will eventually get used to New Year's balls without Lucy. He is likely to hire some other guilds next year. However, the Celestial Wizard hopes that Sabertooth's fiasco will shake his hope at ever finding her during the party. All in all, it is Fiore's guild number one. If they fail to discover Lucy's hiding place, then other guilds won't find her either. With these thoughts soothing her agitation, she sighs contently. A random idea crosses her mind.

I wouldn't mind some company, though...

Heaving another sigh, the Celestial Wizard ponders aloud. "I wonder, how Rogue is..?"

...

"I've been better. But thanks, anyway."

He sounds calm. Too calm. Dangerously calm. This calm before the storm is terrifying.

Leaping up, Lucy fixes alerted eyes on his emotionless face, hoping to divine his motives. Whatever is going on his mind, it isn't pleasant. All the blonde can do is smile awkwardly and pay close attention to his body language. Though, it doesn't take a genius to understand the dark male's mood.

Rogue is pissed off. Not irritated, not annoyed, not exasperated. No. The Shadow Dragon is mad at her. Lucy gulps nervously. She kind of hoped it would take him longer to figure her plan out. The tension can be cut with butter knife. The blonde actually feels the tempest brewing inside the Tiger. Or it has rather been brewed for some time now... ready to befall her.

He will kill her with his incinerating stare. There is rage splashing inside the red-blood orbs. Cold rage. The Celestial Wizard shivers when the dark mage starts to speak in a monotonous tone.

"Impressive. You have tricked me thrice. Thrice. Impressive," the Dragon Slayer emphasizes two last words, eyes blazing with fury.

Lucy blinks. Rogue blinks. Silence dominates the space for a few seconds before the dark male continues, his eyes closed now.

"You've made me roam the wash-house, crawl through the ventilation and run away from old ladies," he states in a nonchalant manner, this time his voice seems to contain less anger. Rogue fixes eyes back on Lucy. The wrath is still there, glowering like a hungry beast from scarlet depths. But something else appears on the surface. Something milder. Above the rage and fury, above the injured dignity and pride dimly gleam admiration and respect. But... maybe she is mistaken...? It is a bit difficult to believe your eyes when your ears listen to something completely opposite. "I've been humiliated more than once. You, Fairy, have made a fool out of me."

Well, the mighty Tiger does look miserable, with his dark hair disheveled, cloak torn and trousers stained. To think that the reason of his misfortunes is just a little Fairy must be really humiliating.

"However," Rogue's voice takes a completely different note and he gives her a slight smirk. "I've figured you out fast enough to claim victory. You were hiding in your room when I first entered, weren't you? But as soon as I left the bedroom, you rushed back to the spruce. You used the same way, so my scent couldn't determine you leaving the room via the door. It was like stepping into your own footprints to avoid new ones. A smart move. Still, Lucy Heartfillia, it looks like I'm going to be victorious."

"You think so?" the question of victory reignites the fire in the blonde and she quickly takes a step away from the Tiger. Adrenalin runs through her system. A long forgotten thrill of venture reanimates old instincts and impulses. In a swift move, Lucy tears her enormous skirt away and flings it at the dumbstruck Dragon Slayer's face. The piece of cloth is followed by a hard pair of shoes that hits him on the head. "You are still to catch me, loser!" with that said, the blonde runs for her life, jumping over snowdrifts like a hunted hare. To hope that Rogue, a powerful Dragon Slayer of Sabertooth, will be hindered by a skirt for long is beyond naivety. But it can buy her some time. She just needs a few minutes! A few damn minutes! Can't the time go faster?! New Year, where the hell are you?!

Lucy's run wasn't long. She predicted that Rogue wasn't easy to outrun... However, the blonde couldn't assume that it was absolutely impossible. The Celestial Wizard was dimly aware of a shadow slipping under her running feet. The next moment the Dragon Slayer solidified right in front of her.

Several things happen at once. The first one Lucy's mind registers is the clock's chime and her triumph at winning. Later the blonde realizes that she bumps into Rogue and knocks him down into the snow. Finally, the Celestial Wizard becomes aware of her blinking at the confused Dragon Slayer, who must have been a bit disoriented himself. It slowly dawns on both of them that their nose to nose position isn't vertical but horizontal.

"I win."

They rasp simultaneously, completely out of breath. Lucy feels her cheeks burning, but tries to play it cool. Rogue's tinted face isn't much better, though he is more experienced at keeping it neutral. Only the cheeks' colour gives away his fluster. So, the two just keep on staring at each other, the clocks still striking in the hall. The blizzard hums gently to swirling flakes, drowning all the sounds from the outworld. Coniferous branches giggle at the mages from above, sprinkling them with emerald needles and silver snow.

"Let's call it a draw," at last, the blonde gulps a lump in the throat, licks her dried lips and suggests shyly. She is too anxious about his answer to notice her fingers fidgeting with his clock.

"A draw?" Rogue repeats dully as though hearing the word for the first. Lucy gives a firm nod. "Where does that lead us?" he asks after a minute thought, looking a bit dizzy.

"Um... We can finally eat the cookie?" the Celestial Wizard grins sheepishly, bringing the ginger heart to their faces. It is has crumbled a bit and lost some icing due to the fall, but on the whole it stayed intact. The Dragon Slayer gives her a blank look, causing Lucy to pout. "What, you don't want it now?!"

"To be honest, I hate ginger cookies," he states bluntly as the blonde starts to seethe with fury.

"But... you...! How you...! Urg! You were teasing me the whole time, jerk! You...!"

Lucy struggles to find the right words to describe all her frustration and irritation, but she is interrupted by a soft chuckle. Before the Fairy can finish her sentence, the Tiger slightly raises his head and, staring right into her eyes, takes a bite of the ginger heart. The blonde just gapes at him like a fish out of water, completely at a loss for words.

"But they grow on me."

"Hmnn," Lucy huffs and puts the last piece of the cookie into her mouth. "You know, I believe that there is an adequate substitution for this job of yours!" the Celestial Wizards beams suddenly, a few crumbs fall down from the girl's lips on the mage beneath her.

"Oh?" Lucy has spent enough time with the Dragon Slayer to recognize a concealed interest in the indifferent voice. A tender smile graces her lips.

"Well... I've been seeking my guildmates for five years now. I won't give up on them! But... It's a bit difficult to look for them alone..."

"I'd call it impossible."

"Whatever," she frowns at him, but the blonde doesn't track a single sign of mockery in him. Only careful consideration and... even more carefully disguised curiosity. Lucy can't help smiling at this habit of his. The man just won't risk dropping his cool mask of indifference. "So, I was thinking about hiring some guild to assist me. Do you suppose that the job from the Heartfillia family can spike your master's interest?"

"I can't tell for sure," Rogue replies slowly, studying her face as if it holds some secret information on the matter. Something's throbbing in her chest as she waits for him to continue. "However, I certainly am interested. It does sound like a challenge."

"What, are you tired of easy jobs?" Lucy asks teasingly, receiving a wry smile from him.

"You have no idea."

"Believe me, New Year's balls are a way duller."

"Really?" the Dragon Slayer arches an eyebrow. "I won't call this ball boring. Exhausting? Yes. Exciting? Maybe. Crazy? Definitely. But dull... No."

"Actually, it is one of the merriest New Year's parties I've ever had," the Fairy admits quietly. Fatigue finally lets her know of its presence, causing Lucy's head to slowly fall down on the Tiger's shoulder. "Oh, Happy New Year, by the way!" with that said, the blonde yawns and mumbles something else, too incoherent for anyone to understand. A snowflake lands gently on her closed eye, but she doesn't feel it touching her, already roaming the dreamland.

For the first time in many years Lucy falls asleep on the New Year's night with a peaceful smile adoring her face.

"I can't agree more. It is the most interesting New Year's party in my life."

The Celestial Wizard won't know it, of course, but the Shadow Dragon Slayer has never slept on the New Year's night with Sabertooth's mages wrecking the city...

They say the beginning of the year sets the tone of its run. To begin the new year under the magical spruce... and the Fairy... is not a bad start. Rogue allows a small smile to pull at his lips. She is yet to pay for his humiliation earlier. The feisty blonde can do to him whatever she wants in the morning.

But right now the Tiger is determined to enjoy his sleep under the spruce, with his nose buried in the flaxen hair and arms gently wrapped round the Fairy.


End file.
